Talking televox



{June 24, 1930. R. J. WENSLEY ,554

TALKING TELEVOX INVENTOR Fay J/l ens/ey ATT'ORNEY devised chlefly for controlling clrcult break- Patented Jun24 l930 1 UNITED ES :PAT'ENT orifice nor 3. wnnsnnr, or mnwoon, rnnnsrnvanm' Assrenoa 'ro wns'rnmnousn nmc'mrc a murac'rume courm, A conrom'rron or rmmsnvanm ammo mnvox Application filed mm. as, 1929. sermino. 380,103.

5 plurality of apparatus units, such ascircuit breakers or the like, from a distance, and

transmitting a signal indication ofthe con-.

dition of such unlts. The general object of this invention is to improve upon the-system disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 226,116, filed Oct. 14, 1927, for Televox controller and supervisor. In said application, 'a system of control and signalling is disclosed which makes possible the control and supervision of distant apparatus units over standard telephone circuits.

It is the particular object of this invention to improve uponthe system of said application inthe means for identifying the distant station when the telephone at the latter is called by an attendant at the control station.

. In the previous system, the called station was P identified by a characteristic code of buzzer .ton'es. In the present invention, I propose to provide, means for giving .vocal response from an unattended station to the calling attendant at the central control station. .In addition, it is an object of this invention to pro- 3 vide means for automatically calling the attendant at the control station by telephone, in the usual manner, when an automatic operation occurs at the distant substation. This call will be made, according to my invention,

by automatic which will be caused to unction upoirthe automatic operation of any .unit, such as a circuit breaker.-

. Although the system of my. invention was ers of an electric-distributionsystem, in ya- ,u-llOllS substations thereof, from the dispatchers oflice at the central station, it is obvious 46 that'numerous other applications of my invention are possible My invention is described herein in connection with an electric distribution system having automatically operable circuit break; ers but it is to be' understood that it is not to speech-re roducing means be limited by the description of the specific embodiment mentioned.

For a full understanding of my invention,

it will be necessary to refer to the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 of which jointly illustrate diagrammatically an perative embodiment of the invention.

The various elements utilized in the embodiment illustrated will be described in the course of the following description of operation. I

Referring to Fig. 1, the dispatchers tele- Ehone is illustrated at 10 and is adapted to e connected, through the usual telephone,

systemindicated schematically at 11, to the substation telephone 12. I wish to emphasize, at this point, that the telephone apparatus utilized in connection with the system of my invention is'standard in every respect and that no electrical connections thereto are necessary. The only adjunct to such equipment is the automatic receiver-lifting mechaism which will'be described later, but this 18 not electrically connected to the tele hone equipment, and the mechanical re ation therebetween is such that it may be easily disconnected.

It must be assumed, in the first-place, that the dispatcher, through the usual central of- .fice, has obtained a connection from his telehone 10 to the substation telephone 12.

he complete circuits and auxiliary apparatus associated with the telephone equipment have been omitted for the sake'of sim licity, since they are standard,l.and well own. When this connection has been'efiected, the substation telephone bell not shown) will be energized bg the usual alternating ringing current. T i called ring-down relay 13 which has its winding connected across the telephone circuit 11. While this relay is directlyconnected to the circuit 11, it is a connection, such as the telephone companies su ply as standard equipment upon request!) Wthe subscriber.

' When'tliering-down relay is energized by s current also'energizes a so- -energized an said armature and the windin of the relay 14, to negative battery.v In t e drawing, I have adopted the convention of indicating positive and negative battery terminals by Ins and minus signs within small circles. Although these symbols are duplicated in the drawings, it will "be understood that a single source of direct current, such as a storage bat- 'tery or generator, may be employed at the dispatchers oflice'and the substation, the various voltages required being obtained from said source by any convenient well-known means.

It should be noted at this point that a relay 15, associated with the relay 14, is normally energized in a circuit includin the back contact and b armature of the re ay .14, as long as the system is not operating. The relay 15 is also a slow-release rela i. e., it does not release its armatures unti after the lapse of a short time interval following the opening of its normally closed energizing circuit by the energization of the relay 14. When the relay 15 finally releases its armatures, a locking circuit is completed for the relay 14, through the a armature and front contact of said relay and the a armature and back contact of the relay 15, to positive battery. Thus, when the ring-down relay is energized by the telephone rin 'ng current, the relay 14 is locked in that position, and the relay 15 is deenergized. The slow-release characteristic of the relay 15 requires that relay 14 be energized for a definite interval before the substation equipment will be placed in operation. This feature avoids false operations resulting from inadvertent or accidental energization of the substation telephone bell-ringer.

Thef'deener ization of the relay 15 connects positive attery, through the b armature of said relay and its back contact, to

the winding of a relay 16, the other terminal of which is connected to negative battery. The resulting energization of the rela 16 completes a circuit at its a armature and ront contact, from positive battery, through a receiver-lifting magnet 17, to negative battery. The energization of the receiver-lifting magnet 17 causes the receiver of the substation telephone 12 to be lifted from its hook switch to establish communication between the dis atchers ofiice 10 and the substation. The re ay 16, at its b armature and front contact, completes a circuit including a winding of an induction coil 18 and a microphone 19, which is connected to the substation telephone receiver through a tubular arm 20 pivoted at 21 and terminating in a bell 22 for cooperationwith the receiver at the substation tele hone.

e relay 16 also causes positive battery to be supplied through its a armature to the winding of a relay 23 through a circuit including the c armature and back contact of a relay 24. The relay 23 is thereby energized and, at itsa armature and front contact, completes a circuit from negative battery for the thermionic amplifying tubes of a standard amplifying unit 25, the purpose of which will become apparent later. The relay 23 is adapted to prepare, at its b and c armatures, circuits for electric lamps 26 and 27 which constitute parts of a speech-re roduction mechanism of-a well-known type. his mechanism utilizes a film record of sound waves,

and, through the agency of aphoto-electric cell, is ada ted to reproduce the speech rehe film. In the system of my incorded on t vention, I employ a motor 28 for driving a film 29 through the standard drive and gate mechanism (not shown). A photo-electric cell 30 is adapted to be energized by the light passing through the film 29 from either of the lamps 26 and 27. The circuit of the'motor .28 is controlled through the d armature and front contact of the relay 23. A manual switch 31 serves to control the connection of the motor circuit to the current source.

According to my invention, the film 29 bears two speech records, one of which is adapted to be illuminated by each of the lamps 26 and 27. One 5 eech record ma be that identifying the su station, and, w en reproduced, may be caused to-emit audibl the name and number of the substation. The speech record is translated into electric current by the photoelectric cell 30, the output of whlch is amplified by the amplifier 25 and supplied to a loud speaker 32 which is placed adjacent to the transmitter of the substation telephone 12. A a

means which will be explained later, to cause an appropriate message to be emitted. When the relay 33 is deenergized, the circuit prepared at the c armature of relay 33 for the lamp 27 will be complete from iOSltlVe battery, by the c armature and bac contact of relay 33, to the c armature and frontcontact of rela 23, to the lamp 27 and negative battery. he lamp 27 will thus be energized to illuminate the left-hand ortion of the film 29 and the speech reoorde upon that portion of the film will thereby be reproduced in the s eaker 32 and transmitted over the telephone circuit to the dispatcher at the central station 10.

The s eech recorded on the left-hand half of the fi m,may appropriately be something of the following nature, This is the Fourth Avenue Substation of the Electric Llght &

- Power Company, Williams 2573. It is thus -tion with which he is actually connected by the telephone operator. This message is re- 105 The relay 33 is adapted tobe controlled by Y corded on the length of the film 29 and, when the message has been conveyed once, an auxiliary switch 34, associated with the film in any convenient manner, is adapted to be closed, for example, by a projection 35 carried by the film. When the message hasbeen transmitted once and the switch 34 is closed,

' negative battery is connected to thelower terminal of a relay 35. The upper terminal of the winding of this relay obtains positive battery from the back contact and b armature of the relay 15. The relay 35 is thereupon energized.

At this point it is necessary to explain'tnat a relay 36 is normally energized in a circuit including the winding of said relay, the first contact and Wiper 37 of a step-by-step selector switch 38 to negative battery. This selector switch is well known in the art and its wipers 37, 39, 40 and 41 are adapted to be actuated from contact to contact by a stepping magnet 42 which, when energized, operates a ratchet and pawl against the tension of a spring and, when deenergized, permits the sprlng, through the ratchet and pawl, to advance the shafton which the wipers are mounted, so that the wipers move to the next succeeding contact. Another relay 43 is also energized in a circuit including the first contact and Wiper 37 oft'he switch 38.

Thus, when the relay 35 is energized by the closing of the switch 34, a circuit is completed from positive battery, through the front contact and armature of relay 35, the front contact and a armature of the relay 36, and c armature and front contact'of relay 43 and the a armature and back contact of a relay 44, to the winding of a relay 45 and negative battery. The relay 45 is energized by the completion of the circuit just traced and, at

- its armature and front contact, prepares a contact of relay 15.

series energizing circuit for the relays 44 and I 45. This circuit 'is traceable from negative battery, through the winding of relay 45, the winding of the relay 44 and the armature and front contact of the relay 45, to positive battery at the back contact of armature b of relay 15. So long as the original energizing cir' cuit of the relay 45 is maintained, however, it will be seen that both terminals of the winding of the relay 44 will be connected to positive battery. The relay, therefore, will not be energized, since the terminals of its windings are at the same potential.

When the switch 34 is permitted, by the passage of the projection 35', to assume its normal open position, the'relay 35 is deenergized, and the original energizing circuit for 'of the relays 45 and 44 in series, to positive battery through the b armature and back The relays 44 and.45 are thus energized in series.

Nothing further happens until the substav tion identifying message has again been reproduced, and the switch 34 closed the second time. When this occurs, a circuit is completed for the relay 35 as previously described, and

the latter again supplies positive battery to the front contact and a armature of relay 36 to the c armature and front contact of the relay 43. Since the relay 44 is now energized, however, the circuit continues through the b armature of the relay 44 instead ofthe a armature, as in the first instance. The circuit then extends to the upper terminal of r the winding of relay 15, through the winding of said relay, to negative battery. The relay .15, upon operation, interrupts the locking circuit of the relay 14 at its a armature and,

at its 5 armature, removes positive battery called station will respond, identify itself and restore to normal if appropriate signals are not transmitted to it. This feature is also of importance in the event that a telephone subscriber, other than the central station attendant, should be erroneously connected to the substation telephone. In such instances, the calling party, not having the means of controlling the called-station equipment, the latter would restore to normal after repeating its identifying message twice.

It is obvious that, if control and signalling operations are to be accomplished, the automatic restoration of the equipment must be precluded when desired. Tn order to prevent automatic restoration and also to control the apparatus units at the substation and obtain a signal-indicating their position, I provide, at the central station, suitable means for producingsounds of predetermined frequency. These means are not illustrated since they may take any one of a number of forms. High-pitched buzzers, whistles or other suit able means may be em loyed, and the attend ant at the central station may even be able to produce sounds of required frequency from his own throat by whistling appropriately. In the following description, it will be assumed that whistles are employed to produce the required sounds. 'When, after a connection with the substation has been made and it has identified itself, a sound of appropriate frequency which will be designated as tone A, is produced at the transmitter. of the central station telephone, this sound will be nected in parallel to the induction coil 18.

These relays are of the mechanically tune'd, vibrating-reed type which is well known, and are designed to respond by closing their contacts only when energized y currents of predetermined frequencies. Assuming that after a telephonic connection to the substation has been obtained and before the station identifying message has been repeated the second time, a sound of the frequency corresponding to tone A to which the relay 46 respends, is produced by a whistle at the central station telephone transmitter, therelay 46 will be caused to close its contacts and connect the grid and cathode of a so-called "gridglow tube 49 which is also well known in the art. This device serves to prevent flow of current in the circuit in which it is connected, as long as the grid retains a predetermined ppfintial with respect to the other electrodes.

e'n this potential is removed, as by connecting the cathode'and grid, current flows through the tube. A relay 50 of the slow-release type is connected 1n series with the gridlow tube 49, and when the latter is caused to pass current bythe energization of the relay 46, the relay 50 is energized.

When the relay 50 is thus energized, it completes an obvious energizing circuit fora relay 51 at its a armature. The relay 51 is energized and, at its b armature and front contact, completes a locking circuit for itself to (positive battery through the back contact an 6 armature of rela '15. The relay 50, at its 5 armature, supp ies negative battery to the stepping magnet 42 of the selector switch 38, which attracts its ratchet against the tension of its actuatin spring to prepare to move the wipers of t e selector switch 38 to their second contacts when the stepping magnet is deenergized. The relay 51, at its a armature, prepares a circuit for the winding of the relay 24 and'this circuit is completed when the switch 34 is closed by the engagement therewith of the projection 35 after the transmission of the station-identifying message. The relay '24, upon being energized, completes a locking circuit at its b armature which also includes the a and c armatures of the relay 51;

At its a armature, the rela 24 interrupts the circuit of the relay 23 an by deenergizing the latter, stops the film motor 28 and deenergizes the lamp 27 and the amplifier 25. At its a armature, the relay 24 supplies tive battery from the b armature and mi; contact of the relay 15 to the a armature and back contact of a relay 52, b armature and back contact of the relay 53, to the .winding of the stepping magnet ,54 of a second selector switch 55 having wipers 56, 57 and 58 and 59 and associated banks of contacts. The function of the selector switch 55 is difierent from that of the selector switch 38, although the mechanical construction of the two is identical. The selector switch 55- serves to transmit signals indicating the positions of the various apparatus units at the substation, while the selector switch 38 serves to select the articular apparatus unit which it is desir to operate and supervise.

The energization of step ing magnet 54 causes the ratchet of the ector switch 55 to prepare to advance the wipers thereof to the second contact and also closes an energizing circuit from the same source of positive battery traced for the stepping magnet 54, through the front contact of the stepping magnet and to the winding of a relay 60, to negative battery. -The relay'60 is thereby energized to close an obvious energizing circuit for the rela 53. The relay 53, upon 'being energized, interrupts the circuitorlginally traced for the stepping magnet 54 at the b armature of the former, so that, the stepping magnet 54 being deenergized, the selector switch 55 advances its wipers to the second contact.

At the end of the whistle blast producing the frequency required to operate the relay 46, the relay 50 is deenergized, and the steppingmagnet 42 of the selector switch '38 18 also deenergized to permit the wipers of the said switch to advance to its'second contacts. The selector switch 38 is now in position to control and su rvise an appaaratus un t, such as the circuit reaker 61. yrepeatmg the whistle blasts of tone A, the selector switch 38 maybe so stepped from contact as to be associated with any circuit breaker 1n the substation, corresponding to that shown in 61 or to any other apparatus unit thereat. For the purposes of the present description, however, it will be assumed that tone A will not be re ted, so that the selector switch 38 remains in wdtion to control and supervise the circuit reaker 61. It is unnecessary to state that, when the selector switch 38 moves to its second contact, the energizing circuits for the relays 36 and 43 are interrupted at the first contact engaged b the wiper 37. v

. en the wiper 56 of the selector switch 55 has enga its second 'contact, a circuit is 'comple from positive batte ,through said contact and wiper, to thebac contact of the ste ping magnet the b armature and back coiitact of the re y 53 and the winding of the stepping magnet 52, to negative battery. The completion of this circuit causes the energization of the stepping magnet and the consequent energization of the relays and 53, as described before, so that the selector switch 55 is again advanced, this time from its second contact to the third contact,

as a result of the deenergization of the mag- -Ill) net 54 which is efi'ected by the energization of the relay 53. The continued successive the selector switch 55 to be advanced continuously.

As the wiper 58 is advanced from contact to contact, a series of buzzer impulses will be produced by a buzzer 62', located adjacent to the substation telephone transmitter. lit will be noted that the second to sixth contacts of the bank associated with the wiper 58 are strapped together and connected to one terminal of the buzzer 62 through the back contact and a armature of the relay 53. lt'will be remembered that the relay 53 is deenergized after the lapse of a short'time interval following the deenergization of the stepping magnet 54. In other words, the stepping magnet 54 is energized, the relay 60 is energized, the relay 53 is energized, the stepping magnet 54 is deenergized and the relays 60 and 53 are deenergized. The relav 53 is a slow-release relay, however, so that its back contacts are not closed until after the wi ers of the switch 55 have advanced to succee ing contact after the magnet 54' is deenergized. The buzzer circuit may be traced in detail as follows-from positive battery, through the 5 armature and back contact of relay 36, the back contact and c armature of relay 52,

- the wiper 58 and associated bank contacts,

the back contact'and a armature of the relay 53, tothe buzzer 62 and negative battery.

The purpose of the impulses generated by the wiper 58 is'to indicate the particular apparatus unit selected, that is to say, ifNo. 1 breaker has been selected by the selector switch 38, only a single buzzer impulse will be transmitted. If No. 2 breaker has been selected by the selector 38, two buzzer impulses will be transmitted. The central station attendant is thus assured that the desired selection has been effected. If, for example, the attendant transmits the A tone three times to select breaker No. 3, he obtains, as an answerback signal, three buzzer impulses.

The means by which the appropriate number of buzzer signals are returned to the central station attendant will now be described. Tt will be observed that the contacts of the banks associated with the wipers 39 and 57 of the switches 38 and 55, respectively, are electrically connected. It'is thus apparent that, if the wipers of the switcho38 are in engagement with their second bank contacts, which will permit control and supervision or No. 1 breaker, as will be described later, a circuit will be completed from positive battery to wiper 39 of switch 38, its second contact, the second contact of the bank associated with wiper 57 to the winding of relay 52 and negative battery. This circuitwill be prepared as soon as theswitch 38 reaches its second stepping position but will not be completed until the switch 55 reaches the corresponding position. Because of the slow-release relay 53, the stepping of the switch 55 is at a slower rate than that of the switch 38, the la ter being stepped directly in response only to the sounds produced by the central station attendant.

When the relay 52 is energized by the completion of the above circuit, the original energizing circuit for the stepping magnet 54 is interrupted at the a armature of the relay 52. This does not affect the stepping of the switch 55 since the positive battery therefor is now obtained from the bank contacts associated with the Wiper 56. The energization of the relay 52, however, at its armature 0 opens the circuit for the buzzer 62 so that, after the transmission of the first buzzer impulse, no further impulses will be transmitted as a result of the successive engagement of the wiper '58 with its third to sixth bank contacts. If a breaker, other than breaker No. 3, (not shown) is selected, of course, the interruption of the buzzer signals will occur at a difl'erent point in the cycle of the selectorswitch operation, because the circuit for the relay 52 will not be completed until the wipers have advanced to the position corresponding to the selected breaker. It should be noted that the relay 52, at its armature b, closes its own locking circuit.

The selector switch 55 has now transmitted a signal to indicate the position of selector switch 38, and it continues its operat1on, without further signal transmission from the central station, until the wipers engage then" seventh bank contacts. At this point; a shunting circuit is completed from negative battery, through the a armature and back contact of relay 36, the; seventh bank contact and wiper 57, to the winding of relay 52 which is thereby shunted and deenergized. The deenergization of the relay 52, offcourse, ire-establishes the slow stepping of the selector switch 55.

Simultaneously, the c armature of the relay 52 re-establishes the buzzer circuit over apath different from that traced before. This path includes the wiper 58 and its associated bank contacts and the a armature of one of the relays 63 and 64. The re-establishment of a buzzer circuit causes a signal to be transmitted to indicate the position of the selected circuit breaker. The signal will be two buzzer impulses, caused by the engage- 320 ment of Wiper 58 with its seventh and eighth to the armature a and'front contact of relay 64 and thence to the buzzer 62.

If, the circuit breaker 61 is closed, the associated relay 65 will be energized and also the relay 63, since negative battery will be connected to the latter through the wiper 37, its 2nd contact, armature a and front contact of relay 65, armature a and back contact of relay 63. \Vhen the relay 63 is energized, instead of the relay 64, as described above, the buzzer circuit will be controlled b 7th and 8th contacts associated with-the wiper 58, to produce two buzzer impulses indicating that the circuit breaker 61 is closed. I

In this manner, the character of the signal impulse transmitted is made to depend on the position of the circuit breaker so that the attendant at the central station, in addition to checking the selection, b the answer back described above, is also ale to determine the position of the selected unit by means of the buzzer code.

The central station attendant has now obtained an indication of the position of the selector switch 38, as well as an indication ofthe osition of the apparatus unit or circuit brea er corresponding to such position of the selector switch. It will be desirable, ob-' viously, to enable him to effect any desired I operation of the sub-station circuit breaker,

of relay 68;

and I provide means for accomplishing this result.

If the attendant desires to close the circuit breaker 61, he operates any convenient means, as mentioned above, for producin a sound at the central station 10 having a guency to which the relay 47 responds which, or brevity, may be designated tone B. The consequent operation of the relay 47 causes a grid-glow tube 66 to energize a relay 67 in the manner described for grid-glow tube 49 and relay 50.

The operation of relay 67 connects positive battery through the front contact a armature thereof to the upper terminal of the winding ositive battery is also supplied from the same source through the front contact and b armature of relay 64, which,

' as explained above, is energized when the circuit breaker .61 is 0pm, to the lower terminal of a winding of the relay 69. Negative battery is supplied through the front contact and the b armature of relay 67 to the upper terminal of the winding of relay 69. The

relay 69 is thus energized and locks in momentarily through its 1) armature, until relay 67 is deenergized as a result of the of the bank associated therewith, to the winding of relay 65. The relay 65 is thereby energized to close its own locking circuit at its 6. armature. The operation of the 0 armature of relay 65 transfers positive battery from the circuit-breaker tripping rela 70 to the circuit-breaker closing re ay 71. he relay 71, upon operation, completes an obvious energizing circuit for the closing coil of the circuit breaker 61 which is thereby closed.

At its a armature, the relay 65 transfers negative battery, to which it is connected by wiper 37 and its second contact, from the relay 64 to the relay 63, the circuit for the latter including the a armature and back contact of the relay 69 which is deenergized as soon as the attendantceases to produce tone B which is necessary to operate the relay 67. The relay 63, u on energization, causes the circuit for the uzzer 62 to be transferred from the group of four contacts of the bank cooperating with wiper 58 to the associated groupof two contacts, so that two buzzer impulses are transmitted over the telephone circuit, indicating to the attendant that the circuit breaker 61 has closed. The selector switch 55 operates continuously and thus transmits the signal indication repeatedly.

. Now that the circuitbreaker has been closed, let it-be assumed that the OentraLstation attendant desires to trip the breaker.

For this purpose, it will also be assumed that I the selector switch 38 is in position to control circuit breaker 61, that is, its wipers engage their second bank contacts. Since the circuit breaker 61 was assumed to be closed, the rela 65 is, of course, energized and locked in.

0 e relay 63 is also energized by the completion of a circuit already traced.

The triplping operation is efiected by the same imp upper terminal of t e relay 69 and also its through the front contact and b armature of the relay 63, to the lower terminal of the relay 68. The relay 69 is not energized, however, since its circuit is open at the armature b of the relay 64. The relay 68, having positive and negative battery connected to its terminals, is energized and locks in temporarily through its armature a and its front contact, until the tone B ceases. f

The negative battery supplied to the lower terminal of the winding. of relay 68, is also supplied through the back contact and c armature of the relay 69, the back contact and a armature of the relay'64 to wiper 41 of the selector switch 38 and its second contact, which is connected to the lower terminal of the winding of the circuit-breaker relay 65. Since negative batteryis now connected to both terminals'of the winding of relay 65, the relay is deenergized and, at its 0 armature and back contact, completes a circuit for the circuit-breaker-closing relay 7 O, which, in turn, closes a circuit to the circuitbreaker trip coil. a

The operation of the circuit breaker, in the manner heretofore described, causes the signal transmitted to the central station to be changed in accordance with the circuit-breaker position.

Additional circuit breakers may be similarly controlled by relays similar to 65, such as that shown at 78. Signal lamps 79 and 80 may be provided at the substation for indicating thereat the position of the various circuit breakers if the latter are located outdoors, to give an indication of their position ant at the central station may restore all of the equipment at the substation 'to its normal condition. To effect this result, the at tendant produces a designated tone C, of a frequency to which the relay 48- responds, thus causing'the operation of the grid-glow tube 72 and'a relay 73 connected in series therewith. The operation of relay 73, at its a armature, connects negative battery to the a armature and back contact of relay 43, to the armature and back contact ofthe stepping magnet 42, to the winding of the stepping magnet, the other end of which is connected to positive battery. The selector switch 38 thereby operates step by step, breaking its own energizing circuit and is thus restored to normal in a very short time. When the selector switch 38'reaches the normal po sition, the wiper 37 connects the upper terminal of the winding of the relay 43 to negative battery, and the relay is energized, the

other terminal thereof being connected topositive battery. The relay 36 is energized in the same manner.

The energization of the relay 43, at its a first, third and fifth contacts. In this way,

a particular buzzer code is transmitted to the central-station attendant to inform him that the apparatus at the substation is restoring itself to normal. When the wiper 59 reaches its sixth contact, it supplies positive battery to the sixth contact of the bank cooperating with wiper 57. This causes the energization of relay 52 which energizes, and at its a armature opens the normal or slow-stepping circuit of the stepping magnet 54 of the seiector switch 55. A. spinning circuit for the selector switch 55 is thereby established through the wiper 56, of the selector switch, 55 returns to its normal position in a very short space of time. 1

When the wipers engage the last, contact, a circuit is established from negative battery through the c armature and front contact of relay 36, the last contact of the bank engaged by wiper 57, through said wiper to the winding of relay 52.. Negative battery is now connected to both terminals of the winding of relay 52 and the latteris thereby deenergized. The deenergization of the relay 52 reestablishes the slow-stepping circuit for the selector switch 55 and the buzzer code indicating that normal condition is again transmitted to the central station attendant by the engagement of wiper 59 With its first, third and fifth contacts.

In order to cause the substation telephone to hang up and other equipment return to the idle position, after a repetition of the restored-to-normal signal, the attendant again energizes the relay 48 by repeating tone C. The relay 43, which was energized when the selector switch 38 was restored to normal, closed a circuit at its a armature. A circuit is now completed from negative bat tery to the front contact and'a armature of the relay 73 which responds to tone C and is a slow-release relay, to the a armature and front contact of relay 43 which was energized as wiper 37 engaged its 1st contact, to the a armature and back contact of a relay 74, to the winding of a relay and positive battery. The relay 75, at its a-armature, prepares a series energizing circuit for the relays 74 and 75 which, however, does not become effective until the relay 73 releases its armature as tone C ceases. When this has occurred, a

series circuit is completed from positive battery. through the windings of relays 7 5 and 7 4, the a armature and front contact of relay 75, the front contact and b armature of relay 43 to the back contact and c armature of the relay 15, to negative battery. Upon the second impulse of tone C, the relay 73 is again energized and supplies positive battery through its front contact and b armature, the front contact and b armature of relay 74, to the relay 15. As the relay operates, the locking circuit of the relay 14 is opened and it is deenergized to restore all equipment to 10 normal.

It is also desirable, in systems of this kind, toprovide means for automatically indicating to the central-station attendant when a circuit breaker at the substation operates 1; automatically.- All the substation circuit breakers will be provided with the usual automatic tripping devices and may also be provided with automatic closing equipment, and the sequence of operations resulting from an an automatic tripping or closing of a circuit breaker will now be described.

If it is assumed that the circuit breaker 61 is automatically tripped after having been closed, the normally c osed energizing circuit of a relay 76 will be interrupted at the auxiliary switch 77 of'the circuit breaker 61. The circuit of the relay 76 is restored immediately but the momentary interruption therein per- [hits the relays 76 and 33 to energize in series, the circuit including windings Of'Sflld relays, the front contact and a armature of relay 76 to the first contact of the bank associated with the wiper 39, through said wiper to positive battery. Theenergization of relay 33 transfers positive battery from the circuit for the lamp 27 to the circuit for the lamp 26. At the same time, the relay 33, at its 1) armature, energizes relay 14 to place the speech reproducer in operation and to lift the receiver of 4a the substation telephone.

The speech record produced by the energization of the lamp 26 sends out a call for the telephone at the central station. This call is received by the telephone operator and 4| completed in the. usual manner. When the central-station attendant has obtained a connection with the substation, he may make appropriate selections to determine which 011- cuit breaker has been actuated and take such action as may a 'pear advisable under the circumstances. 0 restoration of the system is accomplished in the same manneras described heretofore. The relays 76 and 33 will, obviously, be deenergized as soon as'the sell lector switch 38 steps from its initial pomtion and the ener 'ng circuit of the relay 76 will be reestablis ed to prepare forthe repetition of the sequence described above. i From the foregoing description, it is apparent that in the system of my invention, I

have provided a means for permitting an attendant at the centralstation of a wer-distribution system, to control circuit breakers at distant substations and observe the opera- U tion thereof, making use of telephone circuits for transmitting the control and signalling impulses.- It is a particular feature of my invention tl. it the control and signalling impulses are such as are normally transmitted over tele hone circuits and hence are not objectionab e, in any way, from the standpoint of interference with normal use of said circuits.

In addition, I have provided means for obtaining a vocal response from an unattended substation when called by a central-station attendant. I have also provided means for causing the central station telephone to be automatically called-by the. performance of the usual steps in putting through an ordinary telephone cal substituting an electromechanical speech reproducer for the calling party in an ordinary operation. The advantages and desirable features of the system of my invention, it is believed, will be obvious from the description thereof without further discussion.

Since-numerous alterations and modifications of the embodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described Will doubtless occur to those skilled in the art, it is not my intention to be limited to the embodiment herein shown, exce t as necessitated by the scope of the appen ed claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A remote-control system adapted to be operated by sounds of different frequencies over standard telephone circuits including a control ofiice, a remote station, telephone connections therebetween, speech-reproduction means at said station, a receiver-lifting de-,

vice for the remote station telephone, means responsive to the ringing current for the statlon tele hone bell for energizing the receiver li in device and initiating the operation of sai speech reproduction means to transmit a predetermined vocal message to said ofiice to identify the station, automatically operable apparatus units at said station and means naive to the operation of one of said units ior energizing the receiver liftmg device and initiating the operation of said speech-reproduction means to transmit to a telephone operator a call for the central-sta-' tion telephone.

2. A remote-control system ada ted to be operatedtgy sounds of ditl'erent requencies transmit ing a control oflice, a remote station :-and telephone connections therebtween, speech-reprouclng means at said station, sai means comprising a motor-actuated film record, means responsive to the r' current for the station telephone bell or fiftingthe telephone receiver and initiating the operation of said speech-reproducing means to transmit speech to said oflice to. identify said station, and means actuated by a redetermined movement of the film record to effect the release of the receiver and stop the speech-reproducer over telephone circuits, includ by deenergizing the actuating motor for theconnections between said stations, speechreproducing means at said station selectively operable to identify the station when called andfor calling the number of the oflice telephone, means responsive to the ringing of the station telephone bell for lifting the receiver and for effecting the operation of said speech reproducing means to identify the station and means responsive to an automatic operation of one of' said units for lifting the receiver and efiecting the operation of the speech reproducing means to call the number of the oflice telephone.

4. In a remote-control system, a control ofiice, a remote station having automaticallyoperable apparatus units therein, telephones in said oflice and station connected to a common system, an electro-magnetic receiverlifting device for the telephone at the remote station, a speech-reproducing device operable to produce difi'erent vocal messages near the transmitter of the telephone at the remote station, said device comprising a movable film record, a motor for actuating the film record and a plurality of control lamps effective when separately energized to select the vocal message produced by the speechreproducing device, and a relay responsive to the automatic operation of an apparatus unit for effecting the energization of the receiverlifting devlce and the actuating motor for the film record and for selecting a predetermined control lamp.

5. A remote-control system comprising a dispatchers office and a substation, telephones at said office and station disposed to be connected throu h a public telephone system, speech-repro ucing means at the substation selectively operable .to produce vocal sounds of predetermined nature, means responsive to a calling operation for the substation telephone for rendering said telephone operative and for initiating the operation of the speechreproducing means to cause said means to identify the substation, a plurality of apparatus units at the substation, and means responsive to the automatic operation of any one of said apparatus units for rendering the substation telephone effective to transmit a message to the telephone operator and for initiating the operation of the speech-reproducing means to cause said speech-reproducing means to produce vocal sounds calling for a connection to the telephone at the dispatch- 6. In a remote-control system comprisin a dispatchers ofiice and a remote station, to ephones at each of said stations disposed to be connected through a public telephone system,

a plurality of apparatus units at the substation each being disposed to be operated to a plurality of positions, a speech reproducer associated with the substation telephone operable to transmit vocal messages of different 1 predetermined meanings, and means operable phones in said office and substation disposed to be connected through a public telephone system, apparatus units at the substation, electro-magnetically operated means for lifting the receiver of the substation telephone, a speech-reproducing device operable to produce different predetermined vocal messa es near the transmitter of the substation te ephone, means responsive to the ringing of the substation telephone for effecting the operation of the receiver-lifting means and for initiating the operation of the speech-reproducing device to transmit a vocal message to iden tify the station, means responsive to sounds of predetermined frequency for selecting any one of the apparatus units, and means responsive to predetermined operations of the speech-reproducing device for effecting a disconnection of the substation telephone in the event a selecting operation has not been made before the said predetermined operations of the speech-reproducin device are completed. 8. In a remote-control system comprising a dispatchers ofiice and a substation, telephones in said ofice and substation disposed to be connected through a public telephone system, apparatus units at the substation, electromagnetically operated means for lifting the receiver of the substation telephone, a speechreproducing device'operable to produce different predetermined vocal messages near the transmltter of the substation telephone, means responsive to the ringing of the substation telephone for effecting the operation of the receiver-lifting means and for initiating the operation of'the speech-reproducing device to transmit a vocal message to identify the station, means responsive to sounds of predetermined frequency for selecting an one of the apparatus units, a control switc disposed to be actuated by the speech-reproducing device upon the completion of each vocal message, means responsive to a predetermined number of operations of said control switch for causing the receiver-lifting means to restore the receiver to normal position and to discontinue the operation of the speechreproducing device, and means actuated in response to a selecting operation for rendering the control switch ineffective to restore the receiver of the substation telephone to its normal position.

a 9. A remote-control system comprising a.

dispatchers ofiice and a substation, telephones at said dis atchers oflice and substation, a plurality o apparatus units at the substation, an electro-magnetic receiver liftin device for the substation tele hone, a speec -re roducing device for pro ucing vocal soun of predetermined character near the transmitter of the substation telephone, means responsive to the ringing current for the substation telephone for effecting the energization of the receiver liftin device and for causing the speech-repro ucing device to transmit a predetermined vocal message to identify the substation, a selector for selecting any oneof the apparatus units, means responsive to sounds of a predetermined frequency for effecting the operation of the selector to effect the selection of any desired apparatus units,

control means operable to discontinue the operation of the s h-reproducing device, and means responsive to the operation of the sound-res nsive device for actuating the selector an a predetermined operation of the sound-reproducing device for efiecting the operation of the control means, thereby to render the sound-reproducing device inoperative in response to the initiation of a selecting operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of March, 1929.

ROY J. WENSLEY. 

